European Union Finance Ministers agreed on Friday (12) to impose a tax of 3 euros (R$19.12) on all small parcels entering the bloc’s countries, starting July 1, 2026. This measure is the equivalent of the “blouse tax” collected in Brazil and the United States.
The additional amount will be applied to shipments of less than 150 euros (R$956) and aims to contain the flow of packages sent by low-cost Asian platforms, such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress.
In 2024, around 4.6 billion parcels worth less than 150 euros will enter the European market, or more than 145 per second. Of this total, 91% came from China.
A month ago, the finance ministers of the 27 EU countries approved the abolition, from 2026, of the tariff exemption from which these small packages benefited.
European producers and traders are increasingly denouncing this massive flow of goods imported without customs duties, which they consider to be a form of unfair competition. Furthermore, they claim that these products often do not meet European standards.
The 3-euro customs duty will be applied temporarily until the bloc finds a permanent solution to tax this type of import, an EU spokesperson said.
French Finance Minister Roland Lescure called the new tax a “great victory for the European Union.”
This measure is only the first step in an EU offensive against the avalanche of Chinese products entering its territory.
Furthermore, from November 2026, processing fees will have to be introduced for these same shipments with a value of less than 150 euros. Brussels proposed, in May, to set them at 2 euros (12.75 reais) per parcel.
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